Crystalline Quality and Surface Morphology of 3C-SiC Films on Si Evaluated by Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging

Abstract

Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) has been utilized to evaluate the surface morphology and crystalline quality of 3C-SiC films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on (100) and (111) Si substrates. ECCI in this study was performed using an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) system equipped with forescatter diode detectors and mounted inside a commercial scanning electron microscope (SEM). This nondestructive method permits direct dislocation imaging through local fluctuations in forescattered electron yield attributable to lattice strain. Coordinated ECCI, SEM, and EBSD analysis of film surfaces allowed correlations between film orientation, surface morphology, and dislocation behavior. Evidence of lateral dislocations parallel to <110> directions and atomic step pinning by dislocations was observed.